Everyone wants a flat, strong belly, but many core exercises are boring and even dangerous for your back and neck. You might be surprised to learn that there are more ways to work your abs than just doing sit-ups; and today you’ll learn that The Yoga Trapeze is a powerful tool you can also use to build strength in fun and creative ways.

While best-known for its use in inversions, The Yoga Trapeze is just as effective for building abs of steel. In this short beginners sequence below, you’ll learn some simple, yet powerful, exercises for developing abdominal strength.

Plank Pikes

Plank pikes are great for strengthening the core first and foremost, but they also tone your arms and thighs as an added bonus. The secret to this pose is that in order to keep your body in a straight line, you’ll naturally have to use your deep abdominal muscles for stabilization. This is a safe and natural way to get a deep core workout, and The Yoga Trapeze enables you to “feel the burn” very quickly.

Hold here for 3 breathes, release, and repeat 10x’s or until you’re tired

Crescent Lunge

Crescent lunge in The Yoga Trapeze is a variation of the classic version, but it works the entire body from legs, to the arms, to the core. While traditionally this is more of a lower-body stabilization pose, using The Yoga Trapeze, it becomes a powerful core workout when both your arms and legs are stabilized by your abdominals.

How to Practice

Reach up and grab The Trapeze fabric as high up as you can

Step one leg back, releasing just as much fabric as needed to get deep into the pose

ALIGNMENT TIP: keep your knee and ankle in one line, keep the hips and torso square to the front.

Warrior III

A traditional Warrior III pose is all about balance and stabilization of the legs; but when you do it with The Trapeze, suddenly you can hold the pose much longer and you can use your core muscles to make it even more impactful. For almost all balancing poses, the stronger your core, the better your balance; and while using The Yoga Trapeze, you’re able to practice longer and deeper with just a few simple tricks.

How to Practice

Stand up in front of the trapeze, reach up and back so The Trapeze goes across your back and under your arms (see photo)

Next, lift the heart and bend forward slowly

Extend one leg in the air behind you and find your balance above your standing leg

Spread your arms wide out at your sides, straight and strong, and look forward at the wall in front of you

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